SugarSynchttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/sugarsync
en-usMon, 16 Oct 2017 18:31:24 -0400Mon, 16 Oct 2017 18:31:24 -0400The latest news on SugarSync from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-cloud-back-up-services-2012-510 Ways To Make Sure You Never Lose Your Stuff After A Computer Crashhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-cloud-back-up-services-2012-5
Tue, 01 May 2012 11:48:29 -0400Kevin Smith
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4d233c28ccd1d58f31040000/cracked-broken-hard-drive.jpg" border="0" alt="Cracked Broken Hard Drive" /></p><p></p>
<p>As any computer expert will tell you: back up early and often.</p>
<p>But what happens when you don't have enough space and want to back up and restore your entire computer? Or what happens when your hard drive crashes in the middle of an important assignment?</p>
<p>That's what online backup services are for. You can store all your files in the cloud so you know it's always there if your hardware crashes.</p>
<p>There are several options for online PC backups, so we did some digging and found the best ones.</p><h3>Backblaze 2.0</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4d94e763cadcbbe9712b0000-400-300/backblaze-20.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.backblaze.com/">Backblaze 2.0</a> is an easy online back up solution that continuously saves your content. The service allows you to choose from a single file, multiple files, or the entire contents of your computer.</p>
<p>You can choose to restore files by downloading a zip file or Backblaze will send you a USB hard drive/flash drive. The ability to view and restore files from a web browser is also helpful.</p>
<p>Your data is <a href="http://blog.backblaze.com/2008/11/12/how-to-make-strong-encryption-easy-to-use/">encrypted several times</a>, first on your computer and then over an encrypted connection. There's also a feature that helps you locate a lost or stolen computer.</p>
<p>Backblaze 2.0 is available for Mac and Windows and offers plans that start <strong>as low as $3.96/month</strong> with unlimited storage.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Carbonite</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4d94de4eccd1d5c16a050000-400-300/carbonite.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.carbonite.com/en/4">Carbonite</a> backs up your info automatically, providing step by step guidance to restore files exactly where they were previously.</p>
<p>The program provides access to your files from anywhere and even gives you access on the go from your iPhone, iPad, Android, or BlackBerry.</p>
<p>Carbonite is available for Mac and Windows and offers customers three plans, all with unlimited storage, <strong>starting at $59/year</strong>.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>mimedia</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4f9fe5906bb3f73b7800000a-400-300/mimedia.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.mimedia.com/">mimedia</a> makes it easy to access your important files from anywhere. Music, photos, video, files, and backups are all stored online.</p>
<p>The service provides access to your media on demand. The ability to stream music and videos from anywhere is killer. mimedia stands out by allowing users to also share their information with others easily.</p>
<p>Just like all the rest, everything is secure, easy, and automatic.</p>
<p>mimedia is available for PC with a Mac solution coming soon. Access on the go is available for iPhone and iPad.</p>
<p>There are two plans to choose from, one for free that gives you 7GB and a premium plan that gives 250GB for <strong>$99/year</strong>.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-cloud-back-up-services-2012-5#crashplan-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-vs-sugarsync-2012-2Once You Use This App, You'll Want To Ditch Dropbox Foreverhttp://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-vs-sugarsync-2012-2
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:08:00 -0500Ellis Hamburger
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4f317c516bb3f7232b000041/sugarsync-and-dropbox.jpg" border="0" alt="sugarsync and dropbox" /></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/dropbox" class="hidden_link">Dropbox</a> is dead simple for syncing files across your computers, but doesn't offer much in the way of customization or advanced features.</p>
<p>What if you only want to pick and choose folders to sync without dumping everything in one Dropbox folder?</p>
<p>What if you want to back up some stuff and not have it sync across all of your computers?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sugarsync.com" target="_blank">SugarSync</a> is the solution, and offers even more free space than Dropbox to new users (5 GB vs. 2 GB).</p>
<p>Here's how it works.</p><h3>SugarSync is like Dropbox, but with a ton more options. You also get 5 GB of free storage for new users (vs. Dropbox's 2 GB).</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4f317aa2ecad04020900003c-400-300/sugarsync-is-like-dropbox-but-with-a-ton-more-options-you-also-get-5-gb-of-free-storage-for-new-users-vs-dropboxs-2-gb.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Except unlike Dropbox, you can pick folders from all around your computer to sync. Dropbox makes you put everything in one folder.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4f31707869bedd9e5800002f-400-300/except-unlike-dropbox-you-can-pick-folders-from-all-around-your-computer-to-sync-dropbox-makes-you-put-everything-in-one-folder.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>You can even pick folders you want to back up and not sync to any other computers or devices.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4f317b3beab8ead060000031-400-300/you-can-even-pick-folders-you-want-to-back-up-and-not-sync-to-any-other-computers-or-devices.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-vs-sugarsync-2012-2#you-can-manage-each-of-these-folders-through-the-file-manager-its-easy-to-duplicate-a-folder-on-another-computer-or-device-from-here-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-backup-your-computer-2011-412 Guides That Will Make Sure You Never Lose Another Song, File, Photo, Or Apphttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-backup-your-computer-2011-4
Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:14:00 -0400Steve Kovach and Ellis Hamburger
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4d51526449e2ae7551130000-400-300/computer-crash.jpg" border="0" alt="computer crash" width="400" height="300" /></p><p>Stuff happens.</p>
<p>Hard drives crash, taking your music and photos along with it. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/gmail-history-of-up-to-150000-users-vanishes-2011-2">Gmail loses your emails</a>. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/twitter" class="hidden_link">Twitter</a> mocks you with incessant Fail Whale warnings.</p>
<p>How do you protect yourself?</p>
<p>The answer is to back everything up and do it regularly.</p>
<p>We've written about several backup options ranging from file syncing services to full online backups of your entire system. Now we have them all in one place.</p>
<p>The following is our ultimate guide to backing up everything in your digital life: what to use, how to use it, and which services are the best.</p><h3>Dropbox is our favorite app for syncing folders</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4d93481149e2ae9951800000-400-300/dropbox-is-our-favorite-app-for-syncing-folders.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.dropbox.com/">Dropbox</a> acts as a virtual folder on your desktop, allowing all your computers and mobile devices to access it and share files. It's our <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-dropbox-is-the-best-file-storage-service-2011-3">favorite file storage app</a> at the moment, and with so many t<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazing-apps-that-will-sync-with-drop-box-2011-3">hird-party apps that use it</a>, it's extremely versatile.</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-dropbox-2011-2">Click here to learn how to use Dropbox &rarr;</a></h2>
<h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-tips-and-tricks-2011-2">Click here for our favorite Dropbox tips and tricks &rarr;</a></h2></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Box.net is a good alternative to Google Docs</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4da34372ccd1d59b301d0000-400-300/boxnet-is-a-good-alternative-to-google-docs.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://box.net/">Box.net</a> is a file storage service that doubles as a document collaboration tool. It has everything you need to share documents with colleagues and access your files on the go. It isn't perfect, but it's still a solid product for people who need to do a lot of word processing.</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-box-net-2011-4">Click here to learn how to use Box.net &rarr;</a></h2></p>
<br/><br/><h3>SugarSync is great for storing and playing music</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4d9363f2cadcbbdd39040000-400-300/sugarsync-is-great-for-storing-and-playing-music.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="https://www.sugarsync.com/">SugarSync</a> functions a lot like Dropbox, but it includes an excellent feature for storing and streaming your music. In fact, we think it's a bit better than Amazon's hyped Cloud Player because it works on Android <em>and</em> iOS. (Amazon on works with Android).</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-sugarsync-2011-3">Click here to learn how to use SugarSync &rarr;</a></h2></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-backup-your-computer-2011-4#keep-your-hard-drive-backed-up-before-it-crashes-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-box-net-2011-4Box.net Makes Document Sharing Easy, But Still Can't Compete With Google Docs For Live Collaborationhttp://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-box-net-2011-4
Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:34:00 -0400Ellis Hamburger
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4da34372ccd1d59b301d0000/boxnet-title-image.jpg" border="0" alt="Box.net title image" /></p><p><a href="http://www.box.net" target="_blank" class="hidden_link">Box.net</a> is often compared to online storage services like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/dropbox" class="hidden_link">Dropbox</a>, and we're not sure why.</p>
<p>The real strength of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/boxnet" class="hidden_link">Box.net</a> is in its document collaboration tools; it essentially works like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google" class="hidden_link">Google</a> Docs, except with many more features and an excellent mobile app.</p>
<p>When you sign up for the free version of Box.net, you are allotted 5GB of space (like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazons-cloud-player-is-great-for-music-but-wont-kill-dropbox-just-yet-2011-3" target="_blank">many other</a> online services these days), but there's a glaring problem here: none of your files are allowed to exceed 25 MB in size.</p>
<p>Even if you purchase the $15.00/month business package, your file size cap is 2GB (no storing high-def movies, lossless music, and videos for free here).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless, Box.net seems like it's aiming to please small business owners with its extensive sharing, collaboration, and file version-tracking features. In this department, Box.net beats competitors handily. Google Docs will always have an edge, though, because it includes online document editing in just about any format. With Box.net, you have to download each document, edit it, then re-upload it.</p><h3>Navigate to box.net and click "Try It Free" to get started with 5GB of free storage. One big drawback to using box.net is that as a free user, you can't upload any file bigger than 25MB.</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4da32d8acadcbbc117050000-400-300/navigate-to-boxnet-and-click-try-it-free-to-get-started-with-5gb-of-free-storage-one-big-drawback-to-using-boxnet-is-that-as-a-free-user-you-cant-upload-any-file-bigger-than-25mb.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Once you arrive at this screen, click "Sign Up Now"</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4da32ddeccd1d5e20f000000-400-300/once-you-arrive-at-this-screen-click-sign-up-now.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Once you sign up, you'll be prompted to create a folder that you can share with others, or that you can keep private.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4da336bd4bd7c88b29040000-400-300/once-you-sign-up-youll-be-prompted-to-create-a-folder-that-you-can-share-with-others-or-that-you-can-keep-private.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-box-net-2011-4#when-you-create-a-new-document-invite-a-collaborator-to-make-changes-and-read-the-document-no-matter-who-makes-changes-boxnet-will-show-an-update-list-that-shows-times-when-someone-did-so-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-avg-live-kive-online-backup-service-2011-4AVG's Backup Service Is Nothing Special Unless You're Paranoid About Securityhttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-avg-live-kive-online-backup-service-2011-4
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:35:00 -0400Ellis Hamburger
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4d9dd6d14bd7c8b678070000/avg-livekive-title-image.jpg" border="0" alt="AVG LiveKive title image" /></p><p>Security software giant <a href="http://www.avg.com" target="_blank">AVG</a> just announced their first offering in the online backup category, AVG <a href="http://www.avg.com/us-en/avg-livekive" target="_blank">LiveKive</a>.</p>
<p>We'll walk you through the service so you can see exactly how it works and if it's right for you.</p>
<p>The new service will directly compete with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/dropbox" class="hidden_link">Dropbox</a>, Box.net, etc. because it provides online backup as well as a suite of sharing tools so you can share files with others.</p>
<p>AVG may be a little late to the game, but the company's flagship security software is solid, so we assume LiveKive will be more of the same.</p>
<p>One thing we don't understand is why LiveKive is pitching itself as an alternative to external hard drives, and not an alternative to other popular services like Dropbox. Online storage has its pros and cons (vs. local storage), but the real competitor is Dropbox, not external hard drive makers.</p>
<p>We tried out LiveKive and it works, but nothing really makes it stand out among its online storage competitors besides its focus on big-budget security and reliability.</p>
<p>LiveKive automatically backs up your files incrementally (only file changes are uploaded), so you never have to worry about scheduling backups or monitoring files. The service syncs all the computers in your household, and you can access these files remotely using an online interface.</p>
<p>AVG is offering an app for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/ios" class="hidden_link">iOS</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android" class="hidden_link">Android</a> to access and sync files over the air, and "military-grade encryption" to protect your files online.</p>
<p>There is a 30 day free trial you can sign up for which includes 5GB of storage, as well as a few tiers of storage like $49.99 for 25GB/year or unlimited storage for $79.99/year (Less than 500GB means unlimited, according to LiveKive's <a href="http://www.avg.com/us-en/livekive-terms" target="_blank">terms of service</a>).</p>
<p>One unique feature of LiveKive is the "zero knowledge" functionality. If you sign up for this feature, AVG won't have any access to your files and/or your password. Sounds like a great perk for the privacy-obsessed, but if you forget your password, AVG won't be able to help you.</p>
<p>(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110407005569/en/AVG-Launches-%E2%80%9CLiveKive%E2%84%A2%E2%80%9D-Secure-Simple-Save-Share" target="_blank">Via Business Wire</a>)</p><h3>Click "Start Free Trial" to give the service a shot at http://www.avg.com/us-en/avg-livekive</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4d9dceaf49e2ae7260070000-400-300/click-start-free-trial-to-give-the-service-a-shot-at-httpwwwavgcomus-enavg-livekive.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Once you sign up, LiveKive prompts you to download the desktop client to begin uploading</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4d9dcd06ccd1d516531d0000-400-300/once-you-sign-up-livekive-prompts-you-to-download-the-desktop-client-to-begin-uploading.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>The "Devices" panel allows you to download cloud data based on where it was originally from. A good navigational feature, but SugarSync already offers this. The LiveKive online interface is very bare-bones.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4d9dcca349e2ae025b020000-400-300/the-devices-panel-allows-you-to-download-cloud-data-based-on-where-it-was-originally-from-a-good-navigational-feature-but-sugarsync-already-offers-this-the-livekive-online-interface-is-very-bare-bones.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-avg-live-kive-online-backup-service-2011-4#this-is-the-livekive-desktop-clients-dashboard-which-contains-a-lot-of-vital-information-including-a-handy-network-health-status-bar-and-easy-access-to-preferences-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-sugarsync-2011-3Amazon Snubbed The iPhone With Cloud Player: Use SugarSync Insteadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-sugarsync-2011-3
Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:24:00 -0400Ellis Hamburger
<p><a href="http://www.sugarsync.com" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4d9363f2cadcbbdd39040000/sugarsync-logo-title-image.jpg" border="0" alt="SugarSync logo title image" />SugarSync</a> is a complete cloud-backup solution for your computers that enables you to store all your music online and listen to it on any device.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/sugarsync" class="hidden_link">SugarSync</a> allows you to pick folders to sync and have these folders constantly updated and available across all of your computers, phones, and devices.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Amazon's brand new Cloud Drive and Cloud Player services do the same thing, but can they stream music to an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/iphone" class="hidden_link">iPhone</a> or <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/ipad" class="hidden_link">iPad</a>?</p>
<p>Nope.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/sugarsync" class="hidden_link">SugarSync</a>&nbsp;just released their "<a href="https://www.sugarsync.com/blog/2011/03/28/our-biggest-and-baddest-iphoneipad-app-yet/" target="_blank">biggest and baddest</a>"&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/ios" class="hidden_link">iOS</a>&nbsp;app update yet which allows you to stream music from the cloud.</p>
<p>And just like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/amazon" class="hidden_link">Amazon</a>, SugarSync starts you off at 5 GB of storage for free. Large file uploads can be pretty slow (less than 100kb/sec upload), but once you're done, it works great.</p>
<p>The app could be the best reason to sign up because you can now stream music from your online "locker" and even download documents straight to your device for editing or viewing.</p>
<p>Theoretically, you could sync your entire music library with SugarSync and have access to it all on-the-go (like what <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/amazon-cloud-player" class="hidden_link">Amazon Cloud Player</a> currently offers for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android" class="hidden_link">Android</a> users). Download just the songs you want (to save space on your phone), then delete them from your phone when you're done.</p><h3>The first thing to do is head to www.SugarSync.com and click "Try SugarSync Free" to sign up for a free 5GB account</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4d93444b4bd7c8773a4e0000-400-300/the-first-thing-to-do-is-head-to-wwwsugarsynccom-and-click-try-sugarsync-free-to-sign-up-for-a-free-5gb-account.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Click "Sign Up" to create your free account.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4d935a3e4bd7c8bd3c490000-400-300/click-sign-up-to-create-your-free-account.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Enter in your name and email address to sign up. Also select which mobile device, if any, you'll be using to access your files stored in the cloud</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4d934533ccd1d5ba2e4a0000-400-300/enter-in-your-name-and-email-address-to-sign-up-also-select-which-mobile-device-if-any-youll-be-using-to-access-your-files-stored-in-the-cloud.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-sugarsync-2011-3#to-finish-your-registration-download-the-desktop-application-so-you-can-sync-files-to-and-from-your-computer-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/quickoffice-dropbox-android-update-2011-3Quickoffice Gets Huge Android Update With Dropbox Supporthttp://www.businessinsider.com/quickoffice-dropbox-android-update-2011-3
Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:58:00 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4d8cc8d9cadcbbba182d0000/quickoffice-for-android.jpg" border="0" alt="quickoffice for android" /></p><p>Quickoffice, the all-in-one office suite for smartphones, updated it's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android" class="hidden_link">Android</a> app with access to several popular online file storage services.</p>
<p>You can now save files to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/dropbox" class="hidden_link">Dropbox</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google" class="hidden_link">Google</a> Docs, Box, Huddle, SugarSync and MobileMe.</p>
<p>We're big fans of Quickoffice for all platforms, so this is a welcome update.</p>
<p>Quickoffice lets you view and edit Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files from your phone. In addition to online storage, the update lets you share files with other devices over Bluetooth, create documents with voice input, and send files via text message.</p>
<p>There's a <a href="http://www.quickoffice.com/quickoffice_connect_suite_android_hd/">Honeycomb version</a> of Quickoffice coming soon for tablets, which should implement many of these features too. Quickoffice is already baked into Honeycomb now for viewing attachments, but the new app will allow you to create and edit them as well.</p>
<p>You can get Quickoffice for <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.qo.android.am3&amp;feature=search_result">$7.99 in the Android Market</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Don't Miss: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-sync-firefox-with-your-android-phone-2011-3">How To Sync Firefox To Your Android Phone</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/quickoffice-dropbox-android-update-2011-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/be-productive-with-your-ipad-get-work-files-on-it-2011-3How To Transfer Work Files And PDFs Onto Your iPad2http://www.businessinsider.com/be-productive-with-your-ipad-get-work-files-on-it-2011-3
Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:00:00 -0400Ramon Ray
<p><a href="http://smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/iPad2.jpg"></a><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4d7cddd849e2ae5e13030000-400-300/ipad-2.jpg" border="0" alt="iPad 2" width="400" height="300" />The iPad 2, like its predecessor, still lacks a USB drive and shared file system. If you&rsquo;re puzzled about how to bring in your work files and PDFs onto your new tablet, Walt Mossberg provides a practical how-to-guide in a <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703899704576204564046912604.html?mod=djemptech_t#articleTabs%3Darticle" target="_blank">recent article on WSJ.com</a>.</p>
<p>Mossberg looks at some common, and not so common, ways to work with documents on both iPad versions. Some of the uncommon methods are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Wired file transfers through iTunes.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wireless file transfers through available apps. Mossberg likes Air Sharing for $2.99: &ldquo;It mounts your iPad on your computer as if it were an external drive, and allows you to drag files between your computer and iPad,&rdquo; he said.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cloud-based file transfers using SugarSync, Dropbox, or Apple&rsquo;s own iDisk.</li>
</ul>
<p>Also, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/video/mossberg-explains-how-to-get-files-onto-the-ipad/1D630226-C268-4DA4-9C28-07C2D702AED7.html" target="_blank">check out Mossberg&rsquo;s video</a> for a show and tell on iPad file transfer.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/dqsmMHvPha0xKd7woYO-EOD_kIw/0/da"></a> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/dqsmMHvPha0xKd7woYO-EOD_kIw/1/da"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-lZ7A--OvVA:GTaWrM1gYSE:yIl2AUoC8zA"></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-lZ7A--OvVA:GTaWrM1gYSE:qj6IDK7rITs"></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-lZ7A--OvVA:GTaWrM1gYSE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-lZ7A--OvVA:GTaWrM1gYSE:V_sGLiPBpWU"></a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/be-productive-with-your-ipad-get-work-files-on-it-2011-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-100-day-review-2010-8The Truth About The iPad, Day 100 (AAPL)http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-100-day-review-2010-8
Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:11:00 -0400Dan Frommer
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-100-day-review-2010-8#its-my-favorite-device-for-reading-the-web-1"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4c5a36917f8b9ad77c990100/dan-frommer-ipad-review.jpg" border="0" alt="Dan Frommer iPad review" /></a>It has now been 100 days since my <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/ipad">iPad</a> 3G arrived. (And exactly four months since I <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/my-excellent-ipad-adventure-2010-4">first used an iPad in early April</a>, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-we-love-and-hate-about-the-ipad-2010-4">posted my thoughts about it</a>.)</p>
<p>During that time, I've used the iPad every day, most days for several hours each.</p>
<p>How is it?</p>
<p>After 100 days, the iPad is my <em>favorite</em> computer.</p>
<p>That's not to say it's my most powerful computer. Or the one I get the most work done with. Or the most portable or convenient.</p>
<p>But it's the one I <em>enjoy</em> using the most. And I wouldn't want to be without it.</p><h3>It's my favorite device for reading the web</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4bb116377f8b9a26438f0200-400-300/its-my-favorite-device-for-reading-the-web.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>It's simple: Just one, relatively lightweight device to carry from place to place or room to room. No cords, no peripherals to bring with. No plastic keyboard taking up 30% of the screen. A bright, blank slate.</p>
<p>It sounds corny, but browsing the web via touchscreen is really a more personal, intimate experience. It strangely feels more human and less machine-like, even though the iPad is obviously a machine.</p>
<p>I find myself reading and comprehending more and not just skimming -- maybe because it doesn't have as many distractions as my other computers. Again, this sounds corny, but it actually <em>feels</em> different to use than sitting at a desk, zooming around a computer screen with a mouse.</p>
<p>(There are some times this is annoying, because most of the web wasn't designed to be navigated via touch. But most of the time, it's nice.)</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>In fact, the web is so good, I haven't spent much time using "media" apps</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4c46de197f8b9a7331f30a00-400-300/in-fact-the-web-is-so-good-i-havent-spent-much-time-using-media-apps.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Content apps are really useful on the <em>iPhone</em> because the screen is so small that reading and navigating the web is a challenge.</p>
<p>It's much less of a challenge on the <em>iPad</em>, and I have not found myself using any of the "media" apps for any serious lengths of time, choosing to read news and stories on the web instead.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/flipboard">Flipboard</a>, the <em>Wired</em> app, Pulse reader -- they all sound interesting, but I haven't been compelled to use them for very long.</p>
<p>I don't even use <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/instapaper">Instapaper</a> -- one of my <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/10-best-ipad-apps-2010-6/instapaper-is-good-for-reading-long-stories-4">all-time favorite iPhone apps</a> -- very much on the iPad. I thought it would be one of the apps I'd use the most, and it hasn't been.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Sometimes, I'm looking at the future of TV</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4c4f45127f8b9a2925110500-400-300/sometimes-im-looking-at-the-future-of-tv.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>At home or on the go, I've been using the iPad for watching video a lot more than I thought I would.</p>
<p>I've watched live Major League Baseball games on the excellent <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/major-league-baseball-advanced-media">MLB</a> At Bat app, which over 100,000 people have installed. (Of its 40,000 average daily users, 25% of them watch live video on it, the league tells us.)</p>
<p>I just watched a bunch of the Tour de France on it over the past month, live and on-demand, via <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-the-tour-de-france-live-online-and-on-iphone-and-ipad-2010-7">Versus's excellent HTML5 video stream</a>.</p>
<p>I've watched TV shows via the Netflix and Hulu apps, and via DVDs that I ripped into an iPad-compatible format on my Mac, using the handy free app, <a href="http://handbrake.fr/">Handbrake</a>.</p>
<p>I've been bringing the iPad to the gym with me a few days a week since it arrived. For the most part, it has replaced the TV built into the machines, and it's one reason I got the iPad 3G and have continued to pay for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/att-all-you-can-eat-data-2010-6">AT&amp;T's now-extinct</a> $30/month unlimited-access plan.</p>
<p>The limiting factor, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/07/01/future.tv.frommer/index.html">which I wrote about in a column for CNN a few weeks ago</a>, is that AT&amp;T's 3G network is not always capable of delivering a reliable video stream. It's a real hassle when I want to stream a Cubs baseball game, or an episode of "No Reservations" over the Netflix app, and AT&amp;T's network keeps freezing the video stream up. Someday, this won't be a problem. But today, it is.</p>
<p>There's a <a href="http://lonelysandwich.com/post/662129889/ipad-tv">nice essay on the iPad as a video player by Adam Lisagor</a>, aka Lonelysandwich, a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/adam-lisagor-lonelysandwich-2010-5">guy I profiled a few months ago</a> for his web video work. He writes about the iPad, "They&rsquo;ve stopped short of showing it on a chest in bed, but that&rsquo;s where mine gets its most use. My chest is where I first noticed that the iPad would make the most impact on me as a Video device." That's another big one for me, too.</p>
<p><em>Here I am at our <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/startup2010">Startup 2010 Conference this past June</a>, showing off the MLB At Bat app, while <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-happened-at-startup-2010-2010-5#dan-frommer-shows-off-live-baseball-on-the-ipad-mlbams-bob-bowman-says-youre-welcome-45">interviewing MLB Advanced Media CEO Bob Bowman</a> about the future of TV, among other topics. Unfortunately, the cool MLB iPad app doesn't make the Cubs any better. Here's a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bob-bowman-startup2010-mlbam-2010-6">video of our chat</a>. Photo by Michael Seto.</em></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-100-day-review-2010-8#the-ipad-is-the-right-equation-of-size-weight-speed-and-battery-life-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a>